


Role Model

by coolbyrne



Series: The Neighbourhood Watch [2]
Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:47:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24964705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coolbyrne/pseuds/coolbyrne
Summary: Gibbs agrees to have a tag-along for a school project. Slibbs
Relationships: Jethro Gibbs/Jacqueline "Jack" Sloane
Series: The Neighbourhood Watch [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1462729
Comments: 13
Kudos: 90





	Role Model

**Author's Note:**

> I re-read it and realized it was really light on the Slibbs, but I hope there's enough to keep it interesting. :) And I figure, since it's so early on in The Neighbourhood Watch series that I could get away with it!

"Mornin', Jethro. Come on in." Once Gibbs stepped inside, the man yelled upstairs. "Danny! Your boss is here."

Gibbs chuckled. Two weeks ago, Danny had nervously asked Jack if she thought Gibbs would agree to being ‘Role Model for the Day’, some kind of school assignment given to the 7 year old. He still remembered the boy's nervous expression when Jack led him into the living room and her mouthing, "Be nice" over his shoulder.

"You sure you don't mind?" Gibbs asked, still wary of fulfilling the requirement.

Brian shook his head. "Nah. We trust you. And according to the teacher, it’s a good way of making kids interact with adults outside the family. Besides, he's done nothing but talk about it non-stop for 2 weeks. I don't think he was this excited about Christmas."

Gibbs assured, "He'll be with me all day, unless a case comes up. Then Jack'll watch him."

"Oh, don't tell him that; he might just figure out a way to get you out of the office as an excuse. Brenda seems to think Danny might have a little crush on Agent Sloane."

Gibbs couldn't help but grin. "She _does_ have that effect."

A thunder overhead announced Danny's arrival as he came bouncing down the stairs. Gibbs made a show of inspecting the boy's outfit, and approved of the shirt and jeans, along with the suit jacket. Black boots finished the ensemble. 

"Got your gear bag?" Danny held up his backpack in reply. "Okay. You just need this." He handed him a jacket and a hat. "Those go in your bag. We only wear those in the field. So when I tell ya to grab your gear or gear up, that bag and everything in it comes with you. Got it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Are your snacks in there?" His mother asked, patting down his hair. "Your juice boxes?"

Embarrassed by the reminder, Danny dipped his head. "Mom-"

"Listen to your mother," Gibbs said, and waited for Danny's nod. "Sometimes, we get so caught up in a case, I _wish_ I had a juice box or two."

"Yes, sir."

"And don't call me 'sir'. 'Gibbs' or 'Boss' does the job. Got all that?"

"Yes, s- Boss."

Brenda brushed lint off Danny's jacket. "You listen to Gibbs, you got that? Sometimes you can learn more by being quiet and watching."

Brian ruffled his son's hair, to his wife's dismay. "Have a great day, kid." 

Considering the small talk over, Gibbs looked at Danny. "Grab your gear."

…..

They stopped at the diner first, much to Elaine's delight, who ooh'd and ahh'd over Danny. 

"You never give me free hot chocolate," Gibbs groused. 

"That's because you're sweet enough," she replied, tapping Gibbs' cheek.

"Can I take your picture?" Danny asked. "It's for a school project. I'm following Agent Gibbs around for the day. He’s my role model."

"Isn’t that sweet?” Gibbs’ expression rolled off her back. “Of course, honey." She smiled into the phone, then leaned in conspiratorially. "Make sure he brings you back for lunch. I'll give you extra french fries."

"Thanks, Elaine!"

Scowling at the amused waitress, Gibbs said, "Let's go, Fry Guy."

…..

He introduced Danny to 3 astonished agents in the bullpen. 

Out of the corner of her mouth, Bishop whispered, "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

"Yeah," Tim whispered back. "They've perfected human cloning."

Nick was more vocal in his assessment of the duo who stood side by side, cups in their right hand, in what would look like, in passing, to be identical outfits. Even their blue-eyed stare was strikingly similar. 

"It's a mini-Gibbs!"

Nick was saved from the impending retort by Jack who had appeared at the railing above them. 

"Hey!" she greeted, coming down the stairs. Danny beamed and Gibbs couldn't blame him. "Look at you! You look very handsome," she said. "And very professional."

"Hi," he greeted back, a shyness creeping into his voice. 

"Has Agent Gibbs shown you around yet?"

"We just got here, Jack."

She waved away Gibbs' excuse. "Would you like to see the place, Agent Pearson?"

His confidence came back with the title. "Yes, please!" Remembering the reason for being there, he turned to Gibbs. "I mean, if that's okay, Boss."

The eyes of Bishop, Torres and McGee went wide at the address. 

"Put your gear over here," Gibbs replied. He gestured to a chair behind his desk. "Got your phone in case we get a call?"

The possibility of going out into the field brought a huge smile to his face. "Yes, sir. I mean, Gibbs."

"Okay. Go. Take pictures for school."

Jack put her arm around the boy, and as she began to lead him out, she whispered to Bishop, "Speaking of pictures, please tell me you got that."

Bishop tilted her phone back and forth. "You know it."

Jack winked at Ellie, then turned her attention back to Danny. "The science lab or the morgue?"

"Is that where the dead bodies are?" he asked. Thinking it would put him off, Jack wrinkled her nose and nodded. Instead, he grinned, "Cool!"

With her eyebrows raised into her hairline, she said, "Okay. Dead bodies it is."

…..

“Jimmy let me weigh a brain!” 

Gibbs glanced up from his computer and looked square at Jack who just shrugged. Oblivious to the quiet exchange, Danny continued, “And then Kasie let me look at a slice of it under the microscope! I took a video.” He came around the desk and showed Gibbs his phone.

Holding it out at arm’s length so he could see it, Gibbs drawled, “Cool.”

Danny nodded in agreement. “Then Jack took me up to MTAC and showed me how the machine had to scan her eye to unlock the door!”

The information made Gibbs’ eyes flick up to Jack. “We didn’t go in! I just thought he’d like to see, you know, some spy stuff.” 

He was about to playfully admonish her for the exaggeration when his phone rang. Unclipping it from his belt, he brought it up to his ear. “Okay.” He clicked it shut and said, “Bishop, Pearson, you’re with me.” He reached into his drawer for his gun and badge.

Jack bent to whisper into Danny’s ear. “That’s you.”

With everything in its place, Gibbs turned to the boy. “You hear me, Probie?”

“Yes, sir! I mean, Boss.”

“Then grab your gear. We got a robbery in Spring Valley. Let’s go.”

Danny’s eyes went wide, but he quickly went into professional mode, grabbing his bag and dashing after Gibbs.

…..

“Talk it back to me.” Gibbs had stopped Danny’s exit with a look. It was one thing to bring him along to answer a fairly benign call; it was another to make sure things were safe just in case it didn’t turn out that way.

“The second you tell me to get back into the truck, I get back into the truck. No questions. No complaints. If Agent Bishop needs me to do something or gives me an order, I do it. No questions. No complaints. You talk, I watch and listen. Then we’re going to get ice cream. I’m not to tell Jack. I mean, Agent Sloane.”

Bishop pressed her lips together to stop the laugh that threatened to escape. Gibbs shot her a look but nodded at Danny. “Okay. Let’s go.”

The house was a gorgeous 2-storey with a 3 car garage attached to the side. Bushes and hedges were so finely trimmed it looked like the gardener had used manicure scissors. A basketball net hung over one of the garage doors, though it looked like it hadn’t been used in years. A large lion’s head banger was attached to the big front door, though Gibbs chose the doorbell.

“Commodore Saltzburg,” Gibbs greeted when the door swung open and a familiar face held out his hand.

“Leroy Jethro Gibbs,” the Navy man smiled. “Good to see you again. Think the last time we saw each other was at your third wedding?”

“Fourth.”

He shook his head. “Fourth.” When his eyes went past Gibbs, he raised an eyebrow. “NCIS agents are getting younger and younger.”

“Commodore, this is Agent Bishop and special guest of the department, Danny Pearson. He’s workin’ on a school project. Hope ya don’t mind.”

“Nah,” Salzburg waved off. “It’s why I called you, Jethro. Didn’t want to report it at all, truth be told, but Rebecca insisted. Figured we could keep it low key?”

He made no promises, though he said, “Simple robbery?”

“Seems like it.” Salzburg stepped to the side to let the trio in. 

“Thank you, sir,” Danny said with a professional nod that the man appreciated.

“You’ve been on the job long, Agent Pearson?”

“First day, sir, though I’m also my neighbourhood watch.”

“Could’ve used one of those around here,” he replied. 

Gibbs pulled out his notepad. “Got a list of what’s missing?”

“Of course.” 

He led them into a large room that was half den, half museum. Three leather couches were surrounded by Navy memorabilia and-

“Wow!” Danny breathed. Catching his faux pas, he coughed and worked on reclaiming his professional mask. “Sorry, Boss.”

Salzburg handed Gibbs a slip of paper from the desk. “The list we’ve submitted to the insurance company. It’s all my wife’s jewelry. Stolen from the bedroom safe.” To Danny, he asked, “You like comics?”

“Yes, sir!” He cautiously leaned over a long glass case that took up one entire wall length. 

The Commodore came to his side. “You can look closer if you like.” The pride in his voice was evident. 

“Bishop,” Gibbs said, “check out the bedroom.” Stepping up to the case, he gestured to the comics. “Why not take these? Be a simpler smash and grab than cracking a safe.”

“Do you know why, Agent Pearson?” Salzburg asked.

Danny tore his eyes away from the collection to look at the man, then Gibbs. “Yes, sir. This comic here? This is Batman #1.” He pointed at the one closest to him. “It’s worth almost half a million dollars.”

Gibbs blinked. “You’re kiddin’.”

“Nope. And that one? About the same. The whole case is worth millions!”

Seeing Gibbs’ questioning eye, Salzburg explained. “The majority of these were my father’s. He passed them down to me. These are rare pieces of history, Jethro. Only a small handful of people can say they own them.”

“All I got were some woodworkin’ tools.” Gibbs looked at the comics. “I’m guessin’ it’d be easier to get rid of jewelry than it would be gettin’ rid of these?”

He nodded. “Considerably. And the robber might not have even known the value. Besides-” His eyes went up to the camera in the corner. 

“Any thief worth his salt would’ve seen the camera.” Gibbs jotted the information in his notepad.

Bishop came back into the room. “Bedroom window was broken, but there was no damage to the safe.”

“Rebecca probably left it open. I’ve told her a hundred times.”

Gibbs looked around. “Okay. We’ll need the camera footage. Might’ve caught something.”

“Sure. Give me a minute to transfer it onto a stick.”

When the Navy man left the room, Danny turned to Gibbs. “Boss?”

“What is it, Probie?” Catching the nervousness in the boy’s face, Gibbs frowned. “Spit it out.” Danny silently waved him closer to whisper in his ear. Gibbs pulled back and assessed the information. “You’re sure.”

Danny held out his phone, letting Gibbs see the images. “One hundred percent, Boss.”

“Okay. Bishop, take as many photos of that case as you can before the Commodore gets back. I don’t want him knowin’. This is between us. ”

She didn’t reply, but got right to the task. She was able to get about a dozen before Gibbs’ cough alerted her to Saltzburg’s return. Oblivious to what had happened while he was gone, he held up the stick and handed it to Gibbs.

“I’m on Day 2 of a 4 day leave,” he told the agents. “Any chance we can wrap this up before I go? I won’t be back for another month. Last thing I need is my wife worrying about being left alone.”

“Josh not around?” Though it had been years since they’d last seen each other, Gibbs recalled him having at least one child at the wedding.

“He’s 22 now, can you believe it? Still living at home.” His tone said everything hidden in his words. “Haven’t seen that kid since I got back. Wouldn’t put much faith in him being around to protect his mother.”

Gibbs kept his judgment to himself. Flipping his notepad closed, he tucked it into his pocket along with the stick. “I’ll get back to you on this, Bill.”

“Thanks for coming out, Jethro. Good to see you again, even if it’s not under the best circumstances. Agent Bishop,” he said, bowing his head. “Agent Pearson. Feel free to stop by any time I’ve got shore leave. We can talk comics.”

“Yes, sir.” 

Stepping out into the sun, Danny raised his head and squinted under his NCIS cap. “I don’t think he’s a very nice dad.”

The blunt assessment took Bishop by surprise. “Why do you say that?”

“I dunno,” he shrugged. “But Dad always makes time for me. Why hasn’t Mr. Saltzburg seen his son?”

“Because you’re a good kid,” Bishop said, tapping his brim. “Who looks great in his NCIS hat.”

The introspection cast aside under her praise, he beamed and looked at Gibbs. “Ice cream now?”

Gibbs grinned as they got into the truck. “Ice cream now.”

…..

“You had ice cream,” Jack accused.

The trio stepped into the bullpen and froze.

“Wow, she’s good!” Danny praised.

Gibbs slapped the back of the boy’s head, but far gentler than he ever would have done in the past. In fact, it made Danny giggle. “Don’t ever admit to anything unless you know she knows.”

Danny replayed the conversation. “Oh. She made me confess even though she didn’t know. You _are_ good!”

Gibbs could only shake his head. “Not the conclusion I was goin’ for there, traitor.”

Jack winked. "So, besides ice cream, what did you 3 get up to?"

"Break and enter at Commodore William Salzburg's residence," Bishop said. "A break and enter that appears to be something much deeper than it appears." Seeing Jack's raised eyebrow, she turned to Danny. "Agent Pearson?" 

He waited for Gibbs' nod before filling the rest of the team in, albeit with a bit more enthusiasm than Bishop. 

"Mrs. Salzburg had her jewelry stolen, but someone switched Mr. Salzburg's comics with fakes! And he doesn't know!"

Tim frowned. "If he doesn't know, then how do we know?"

Gibbs shot a proud grin in Danny's direction. "Agent Pearson here discovered it while observing the home."

"It was like, like a huge room with these glass cases filled with comics!"

Nick followed the dialogue back and forth with his eyes. "How much are we talking about here?"

"According to our comic book expert, 'millions!'," Ellie answered. 

"Except not 'millions' if they're fake," Tim said. 

"How do we know they were switched and our victim didn't just have fakes and pretend they were real?" Nick asked. "I mean, how could a Navy man afford the real ones?"

"Because they originally belonged to his father."

Bishop picked up from Gibbs, grabbed the remote and put her photos on the main monitor. "And only 2 of them were switched. Knew which ones were the most expensive, but didn't want to risk the Commodore noticing."

"Didn't take the super rare ones, though." Danny pointed to a case. "My uncle's been looking for that one forever. He says there's only about 20 in the whole world!"

Nick looked off to the side to process the information. "So whoever switched them knew which ones to switch without it being too obvious."

"He's careful," Jack chimed in. "Knew what to take and how to avoid getting caught. Someone who knew the Commodore?"

"Someone who has access to the house," Tim suggested. 

“Bishop, check the local pawn shops. See if anyone’s tried to bring in some high priced books.”

“He wouldn’t try to sell them unless he was stupid,” Danny objected to Gibbs’ order. “That’s a waste of time.” The office became bemusingly quiet, and even he seemed to notice, because he looked around and said, “Uh-”

Taking some pity on him, Jack put her hand on his shoulder and said, “First, until we know for certain, we refer to the suspect as ‘they’. Girls can be bad guys, too.”

Torres lifted his eyes skyward. “Preach.”

She ignored his quip and continued, “Second, we follow every possible scenario, no matter how obvious, no matter how much time we think it might waste.”

Bishop came to his side. “Because sometimes, even if it doesn’t give us the answer we were looking for, it might give us a clue about a different answer.”

“Every lead is important,” Nick said.

Seeing his mistake, Danny looked at Gibbs. “Sorry, Boss.”

Four adults, minus Gibbs, immediately chimed in with, “Don’t apologize.”

Gibbs smiled. “Don’t apologize,” he agreed. “Learn from it and don’t do it again, right?”

Danny grinned and nodded. “Right.”

“Don’t worry,” Tim assured him, “we’ve all been there, Probie.”

“McGee, the Commodore gave us a web address and a password for his in-home security.” He handed the piece of paper over to Danny who handed it to Tim. “Can we bring up footage from last night?”

“Sure thing, Boss.”

As Tim entered the information, Danny asked, “How do we know the switch was last night?”

“Sometimes a criminal uses one crime to hide a different one,” Jack explained.

He nodded his understanding. “Misdirection. That makes sense.”

The video came up on the large screen and everyone peered closer at the footage Tim was fast forwarding. It wasn’t until they had time-lapsed into the early hours of the morning that they saw it. Nick was the first to speak.

“What happened to the camera?”

At 3:17, the video had gone black, only to return at 3:38.

“Any other angles, McGee?”

“Only two outside cameras; one at the front and one at the back.”

Jack frowned. “No alarms triggered?”

Tim clicked some commands into his keyboard. “None that appear in the security log.”

Bishop tapped her lip. “So someone had to not only turn off the camera but the alarm, too.”

“Which brings us back to the idea that it had to be someone who knew the Commodore’s family and had access to the house,” Nick said.

“Boss?” 

Gibbs turned to Danny. “What is it, Agent Pearson?”

“I have a suggestion?”

“Go on.”

He slipped in beside Tim. “Can I download an app onto your computer?”

McGee hesitated. “We’re not really supposed to do that on a government-” He saw Gibbs raised eyebrow. It was both permission and a reminder of exactly what they’d done on his computer in the past. “Right. Sure.” He rolled to the side and gestured to the keyboard.

As he began typing, he asked, “Does anyone know what kind of security system the victim was using?”

Bishop’s mouth quirked at the official designation that came out of Danny. Using her own computer to work in tandem with him, she revealed, “StaySafe Security. Alarm and camera.”

The boy scoffed. “That’s the third worst security company in the state.”

When everyone looked at him in amazement, Gibbs chuckled. “Danny’s dad is head of digital security for CitiBank.”

“Okay, the app is downloaded. Now we just need to type in ‘StaySafe Security’.” He followed his own direction, his tongue poking out of the corner of his mouth. “And the address of the Commodore.” 

Tim pushed the information towards him and watched it being typed in. “You’re retrieving the keypad source code.”

“When the system was installed, everyone in the house got their own code, but what they probably didn’t know was, StaySafe logs in other information, like fingerprints and heat maps of everyone who touches it.”

“So even if the robber used someone else’s code, the system could narrow down the people who disarmed the alarm.” Bishop nodded, then frowned. “That sounds illegal.”

“It is,” Danny agreed. “At least, that’s what Dad says. And besides, you can totally bypass it by using the eraser end on a pencil.” His dismissive judgment brought out some smiles. 

“Guess that’s why they’re the third worst security system in the state,” Jack said.

Two clicks later, Danny brought his conclusion up on the office monitor, and the levity left Gibbs. Sighing, he sat back and clenched his jaw. “Torres, Bishop, bring him in.”

“Is he going to get in trouble?” Danny asked, looking at the screen.

Rather than give an answer that might be a lie, Gibbs simply said, “Got one of those juice boxes, Probie?”

…..

He was glad to have Jack around to explain to a confused 7 year old why Josh Saltzburg had gone to all the trouble to switch out his father’s comics if he had no intention of selling them; how it was a cry for attention rather than a malicious crime. They had found both the jewelry and the comics in a boot locker at the end of Josh’s bed, and he had gone in quietly when Torres and Bishop arrived. Danny had watched the interrogation with a curious eye even if he didn’t quite understand the soured ground between father and son. He gave his own dad a hug when Gibbs brought him home, and Brian looked over his son’s head.

“He had a busy day.”

The reminder brought Danny out of his funk, and in a heartbeat, he began rattling off the details of the day.

Before he could get too far, Brian asked, “Did you thank Mr. Gibbs for letting you tag along?”

Danny turned and stuck out his hand. “Thanks, Mr. Gibbs. It was awesome!”

He returned the firm handshake and said, “Just ‘Gibbs’. We were glad to have you, Agent Pearson.” Gesturing to the backpack, he added, “Keep your gear bag ready at all times; never know when we might need you.”

Danny’s eyes went wide. “Does that mean I get to keep the jacket and hat?”

“How else are we gonna identify you in the field?”

“Awesome! Can I have a gun?”

Brian caught Gibbs’ slow blink and swallowed a laugh. Resting his hands on his son’s shoulders, he said, “I think you have to go to the Academy for that first.”

Reality pricked a hole in Danny’s enthusiasm. “That’s forever away! Will you still be there, Boss?”

Gibbs thought of all the times he thought might be the last in the three decades of being on the job. With a chuckle, he said, “Give me a call, kid.”

He was nearly out the door when Danny called out, “Don’t forget the ice cream!”

…..

He hadn’t forgotten the ice cream, but they didn’t get to dig into it until three days later, when she flopped onto his couch after dinner. 

“I have something to show you.” 

His eyebrow quirked up as he sat beside her. “And here I thought I’d seen it all, Special Agent Sloane.”

Her mouth twitched at his quip and the memories attached to it. “A girl likes to keep her secrets, Special Agent Gibbs. In the meantime, Danny asked me to show you this. Told me he didn’t want to embarrass you, so he gave it to me.” She opened up her laptop under his watchful gaze. “Turn on the TV.” He followed the order, then she said, “Hit the HDMI button.” His arm stretched out so he could see the buttons on the remote, and she laughed until he guessed at the right one. “Now, let me do the rest.” 

He watched her push some keys on the computer. “My old TV couldn’t do that.”

“Your old TV couldn’t show movies in colour.”

He scooped a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth. “You’re not gettin’ any of this.”

She placed the laptop on the table and hit one last key before nestling into his side. “Why do you try and lie to me?”

He hummed his surrender even as he let her guide his hand -and thus, the spoon- to her lips. Any verbal rebuttal was cut short when his TV screen came to life.

_“Leroy Jethro Gibbs, protector of the neighbourhood by day, protector of the country, well, also by day.”_

The words were spoken over an image of Gibbs in his hoodie and jeans, standing on his porch, fading into an image of him in his NCIS jacket and hat.

“Where the hell did he get-”

“When he asked you if you’d be his Role Model, I may have taken it upon myself to ask the team to take some video and pictures. Now shush.”

_“My dad’s the best, but Mr. Gibbs? He’s pretty good, too. Follow me while I show you a day in the life of my role model, Special Agent Gibbs.”_

The five minutes that followed were images and videos interspersed with commentary. Pictures of him with the team, videos of him at home and at work, and succinct narration that made him chuckle.

 _“Rumour around the neighbourhood is, he’s building a boat in his basement,”_ came the whispered words as Danny stood outside the basement door. Jack had played along and intoned, _“That’s classified,”_ before using her hand to cover the camera, their laughter ringing in the background. 

“You two were co-conspirators,” Gibbs accused, no bite in his tone. In fact, he scooped up more ice cream and waited for her to guide his hand again.

“Yep.”

_“He’s a pretty serious guy, but that’s the nature of the job. Work first, smiles later. And no one makes him smile more than Special Agent Jack Sloane. She’s pretty cool, even for a girl.”_

“‘Even for a girl’?” She tried for indignation even as she was warmed by the video clip Danny had used. She wasn’t sure where he had gotten it, though she suspected the matchmaker in the office.

“Bishop,” was all Gibbs said about the image of him gazing up at Jack with a look that could only be described as ‘adoration’. Jack burrowed in closer, wrapping her arm around his waist.

_“I learned the law is black and white, but Agent Gibbs taught me that sometimes, you hafta react to it in kinda a grey way. Find the best solution even if sometimes people might think it’s the wrong one. In my very first case, someone took something from his dad. Sounds like stealing, right? But thanks to the NCIS team, we found that he was really just looking for his dad to give him attention. I think what he really needed was a good role model. Like Agent Gibbs.”_

The screen faded to black, with credits to the team in white text. 

Jack sat up to turn off the video. “You’re not crying, are you?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Don’t make me take away the ice cream.”

“Pffft.” She waved off his threat. “I know you’ve got another pint in the freezer.”

“You can thank Agent Pearson for that.” Despite his feigned annoyance, he reached out for her hand and pulled her into his mouth. The sweetness of the mint chocolate transferred from his lips to hers and back again.

“He _is_ awfully cute.” She leaned back just long enough to grin at his scowl, then waited for the smirk to form when she asked, “What is it about boys and badges?” As it tugged the corner of his mouth, she softly whispered, “I _do_ like your smile.”

…..

-end


End file.
